scaramouche-第48章
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support against the dread by which he was suddenly invaded。
He sat down to think things out； and he was still at that melancholy
occupation when perhaps a half…hour later his daughter entered the
room； returned at last from her excursion。
She looked pale； even a little scared … in reality excessively
self…conscious now that the ordeal of facing all the company awaited
her。
Seeing no one but her father in the room； she checked on the
threshold。
〃Where is everybody？〃 she asked； in a voice rendered natural by
effort。
M。 Binet reared his great head and turned upon her eyes that were
blood…injected。 He scowled； blew out his thick lips and made harsh
noises in his throat。 Yet he took stock of her； so graceful and
comely and looking so completely the lady of fashion in her long
fur…trimmed travelling coat of bottle green； her muff and her broad
hat adorned by a sparkling Rhinestone buckle above her adorably
coiffed brown hair。 No need to fear the future whilst he owned
such a daughter； let Scaramouche play what tricks he would。
He expressed； however； none of these comforting reflections。
〃So you're back at last； little fool；〃 he growled in greeting。 〃I
was beginning to ask myself if we should perform this evening。 It
wouldn't greatly have surprised me if you had not returned in time。
Indeed； since you have chosen to play the fine hand you held in
your own way and scorning my advice； nothing can surprise me。〃
She crossed the room to the table； and leaning against it； looked
down upon him almost disdainfully。
〃I have nothing to regret；〃 she said。
〃So every fool says at first。 Nor would you admit it if you had。
You are like that。 You go your own way in spite of advice from
older heads。 Death of my life； girl； what do you know of men？〃
〃I am not complaining；〃 she reminded him。
〃No； but you may be presently； when you discover that you would have
done better to have been guided by your old father。 So long as your
Marquis languished for you； there was nothing you could not have
done with the fool。 So long as you let him have no more than your
fingertips to kiss。。。 ah； name of a name！ that was the time to
build your future。 If you live to be a thousand you'll never have
such a chance again； and you've squandered it； for what？〃
Mademoiselle sat down。… 〃You're sordid；〃 she said； with disgust。
〃Sordid； am I？〃 His thick lips curled again。 〃I have had enough of
the dregs of life； and so I should have thought have you。 You held
a hand on which to have won a fortune if you had played it as I
bade you。 Well； you've played it； and where's the fortune？ We can
whistle for that as a sailor whistles for wind。 And； by Heaven；
we'll need to whistle presently if the weather in the troupe
continues as it's set in。 That scoundrel Scaramouche has been at
his ape's tricks with them。 They've suddenly turned moral。 They
won't sit at table with me any more。〃 He was spluttering between
anger and sardonic mirth。 〃It was your friend Scaramouche set them
the example of that。 He threatened my life actually。 Threatened my
life！ Called me。。。 Oh； but what does that matter？ What matters is
that the next thing to happen to us will be that the Binet Troupe
will discover it can manage without M。 Binet and his daughter。
This scoundrelly bastard I've befriended has little by little
robbed me of everything。 It's in his power to…day to rob me of my
troupe； and the knave's ungrateful enough and vile enough to make
use of his power。
〃Let him；〃 said mademoiselle contemptuously。
〃Let him？〃 He was aghast。 〃And what's to become of us？〃
〃In no case will the Binet Troupe interest me much longer；〃 said
she。 〃I shall be going to Paris soon。 There are better theatres
there than the Feydau。 There's Mlle。 Montansier's theatre in the
Palais Royal； there's the Ambigu Comique； there's the Comedie
Francaise； there's even a possibility I may have a theatre of my
own。〃
His eyes grew big for once。 He stretched out a fat hand； and
placed it on one of hers。 She noticed that it trembled。
〃Has he promised that？ Has he promised？〃
She looked at him with her head on one side； eyes sly and a queer
little smile on her perfect lips。
〃He did not refuse me when I asked it；〃 she answered； with
conviction that all was as she desired it。
〃Bah！〃 He withdrew his hand； and heaved himself up。 There was
disgust on his face。 〃He did not refuse！〃 he mocked her； and then
with passion： 〃Had you acted as I advised you； he would have
consented to anything that you asked； and what is more he would
have provided anything that you asked … anything that lay within
his means； and they are inexhaustible。 You have changed a
certainty into a possibility； and I hate possibilities … God of
God！ I have lived on possibilities； and infernally near starved
on them。〃
Had she known of the interview taking place at that moment at the
Chateau de Sautron she would have laughed less confidently at her
father's gloomy forebodings。 But she was destined never to know；
which indeed was the cruellest punishment of all。 She was to
attribute all the evil that of a sudden overwhelmed her； the
shattering of all the future hopes she had founded upon the Marquis
and the sudden disintegration of the Binet Troupe； to the wicked
interference of that villain Scaramouche。
She had this much justification that possibly； without the warning
from M。 de Sautron； the Marquis would have found in the events of
that evening at the Theatre Feydau a sufficient reason for ending
an entanglement that was fraught with too much unpleasant excitement；
whilst the breaking…up of the Binet Troupe was most certainly the
result of Andre…Louis' work。 But it was not a result that he
intended or even foresaw。
So much was this the case that in the interval after the second act；
he sought the dressing…room shared by Polichinelle and Rhodomont。
Polichinelle was in the act of changing。
〃I shouldn't trouble to change；〃 he said。 〃The piece isn't likely
to go beyond my opening scene of the next act with Leandre。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃You'll see。〃 He put a paper on Polichinelle's table amid the
grease…paints。 〃Cast your eye over that。 It's a sort of last will
and testament in favour of the troupe。 I was a lawyer once； the
document is in order。 I relinquish to all of you the share produced
by my partnership in the company。〃
〃But you don't mean that you are leaving us？〃 cried Polichinelle in
alarm； whilst Rhodomont's sudden stare asked the same question。
Scaramouche's shrug was eloquent。 Polichinelle ran on gloomily：
〃Of course it was to have been foreseen。 But why should you be the
one to go？ It is you who have made us； and it is you who are the
real head and brains of the troupe； it is you who have raised it
into a real theatrical company。 If any one must go； let it be
Binet … Binet and his infernal daughter。 Or if you go； name of a
name！ we all go with you！〃
〃Aye；〃 added Rhodomont； 〃we've had enough of that fat scoundrel。〃
〃I had thought of it； of course；〃 said Andre…Louis。 〃It was not
vanity； for once； it was trust in your friendship。 After to…night
we may consider it again； if I survive。〃
〃If you survive？〃 both cried。
Polichinelle got up。 〃Now； what madness have you in mind？〃 he
asked。
〃For one thing I think I am indulging Leandre； for another I am
pursuing an old quarrel。〃
The three knocks sounded as he spoke。
〃There； I must go。 Keep that paper； Polichinelle。 After all； it
may not be necessary。
He was gone。 Rhodomont stared at Polichinelle。 Polichinelle
stared at Rhodomont。
〃What the devil is he thinking of？〃 quoth the latter。
〃That is most readily ascertained by going to see；〃 replied
Polichinelle。 He completed changing in haste； and despite what
Scaramouche had said； and then followed with Rhodomont。
As they approached the wings a roar of applause met them coming from
the audience。 It was applause and something else； applause on an
unusual note。 As it faded away they heard the voice of Scaramouche
ringing clear as a bell：
〃And so you see； my dear M。 Leandre； that when you speak of the
Third Estate； it is n
